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Who we are

Purpose supports a global community of businesses and entrepreneurs on their path towards steward-ownership. Through research, open-source resource development, hands-on support, and investment, Purpose is building the ecosystem necessary to make steward-ownership and alternative financing accessible.

OUR HISTORY

Since our founding in 2015, we have grown to meet the demand for alternative forms of ownership and financing both in business communities and in the public discourse. Today, we have successfully support dozens of companies on their path to steward-ownership and have a global footprint across the European Union, North America, and Latin America.

100

Companies

Companies transformed towards steward-ownership.

300+

Public Talks

Public Talks about steward-ownership.

€250m

Activated Capital

Activated in growth and transition capital.

OUR MISSION

We believe that rethinking ownership through steward-ownership is central to creating a society and economy that works for people and planet.

We therefore work to make steward-ownership and alternative capital available to entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, and politicians, who want to move away from the extractive model of shareholder primacy and profit-maximization towards stewardship and purpose.

We do this by providing knowledge, resources, and capital to businesses around the world – the bottom-up movement of pioneering companies that are redefining the purpose of business in society through their ownership structures.

By questioning dominant paradigm assumptions about how ownership works, who holds power in organizations, and how businesses are financed, we’re creating new models for collaboration within organizations, between businesses, and across stakeholder groups – including the environment.

OUR WORK

We are creating
the ecosystem of knowledge, network, and investment needed to make steward- ownership accessible.

Our work combines non-profit research, field building, and resource development with for-profit consulting and investment. All our legal entities are structured as steward-owned businesses and any proceeds generated by our for-profit activities are reinvested in stew- ard-ownership and steward-owned companies.

OUR TEAM

Purpose is led by an international team based in Berlin (Germany), Basel (Switzerland), San Francisco (US), and Santiago (Chile). Our team’s mix of entrepreneurs, investment professionals, lawyers, and organizational experts enables us to look at steward-ownership and companies from a myriad of perspectives.

Anna Bonan

Internationalization | Latin America

Achim Hensen

Co-Founder

Camille Canon

US Partner | Global Communications

Armin Steuernagel

Co-Founder

Daria Urman

Interim CFO | Investment Professional

Adrian Hensen

Co-Founder

Jana Lessenich

CFA Investment Partner

Alexander Kühl

Co-Founder

Annika Schneider

Executive Assistant

Maike Kauffmann

Research & Think Tank

Jakob Willeke

Consultant

Irmela Kreidler

Admin & Accounting

Becci Grobien

Executive Assistant

Patrick Kuschel

Kaufmännische Leitung

Vera Koppenhöfer

Event Managerin

Lilly Pokraka

Communications & Projects

Thomas Wild

Senior Advisor

Stephanie Baab

Internationalization

CONTACT

OUR ORGANIZATION

In order to meet the specific challenges of our mission, Purpose consists of different legal entities: Purpose Foundation, Purpose Ventures Coop, Purpose Foundation gGmbH and Purpose Evergreen Capital GmbH & Co. KGaA. All Purpose entities are steward-owned through a veto held by the charitable Purpose Foundation.